Compute Canada reorganizes and continues to build its case for renewed CFI funding

The national organization that promotes and coordinates the use of high performance computing (HPC) in Canadian research is undergoing a major re-organization following a decision last month on its latest funding proposal to the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Compute Canada has requested more than $56 million in operations and maintenance costs from the CFI through its Major Science Initiatives (MSI) fund as part of a $140-million, five-year budget.

The CFI decision on Compute Canada's application has been made although the results won't be known publicly until the CFI lines up the appropriate federal minister to make the announcement.

"We made decisions at our March/12 board meeting and we're discussing an announcement with the minister's office", says CFI president and CEO Dr Gilles Patry. "We should hear the results any day now — within one month. We always consult with the government and the provinces, some of which are in election mode."

Despite official silence on Compute Canada's CFI application, RE$EARCH MONEY has learned it was approved conditionally and is contingent upon the organization re-working its proposal, with a small amount of funding provided to undertake the work.

"We know we have work to do and we will push ahead with it," says Compute Canada board chair Dr Andrew Woodsworth. "We need to develop a rock solid description of it (the re-structuring). It will take months."

Regardless of the outcome, Compute Canada is forging ahead with its re-organization, replacing the seven HPC consortia that it currently represents with four regional divisions for Western Canada, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada (see chart). Subject to funding, Compute Canada will also beef up its head office, augmenting the executive director's position with a chief technology officer, chief financial officer and chief scientific officer.

"We're moving away from being a coordinating body into a national body that will actually manage all of the activities across Canada. We need to beef up what we do at the national level," says Woodsworth. "We need user support near the users but the machines don't have to be local."

In a separate but parallel development, Compute Canada will resume discussions with CANARIE to explore greater coordination between the two organizations that could lead to a merger down the road. Those discussions began last year but were suspended to allow Compute Canada time to prepare its CFI application and CANARIE time to prepare its proposal to Industry Canada for refunding. Last month's Budget provided the organization with $40 million over two years — the first time it did not receive a five-year funding commitment.

"The discussion needs to continue," says Woodsworth. "We need a cyber-infrastructure strategy like the US."

CANARIE president and CEO Jim Roche agrees, but adds that prior to any merger discussions taking place, more work is required before "a clear vision of digital infrastructure for research and education is articulated."

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